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Antarian Rangers
' 'The Antarian Rangers, a paramilitary group, was as diverse as the Jedi they serve. Typically, those Jedi who chose to make use of the organization dealt with a small group of Rangers with whom they were familiar, and relied on the same Rangers repeatedly. Some Jedi actually had semipermanent Antarian Ranger companions who traveled the stars with them and assisted them in a fashion similar to the Padawan-Master relationship. Whenever a Jedi wantd a traveling companion or aide, typically one to three Rangers accompanied him on his journeys. Otherwise, the various branches of the Antarian Rangers trained, honed their skills, and prepared for a time when they would be needed to assist the Jedi. History The Antarian Rangers were founded some 600 years before the Clone Wars and continued to flourish up until the rise of the Empire. On the planet Antar 4, home of the Gotal species, a Coruscant-born Human Jedi Knight named Marus Timpel was performing routine duties that brought him into contact with a being who was turned down for Jedi training. Kaskutal, a Gotal with limited Force sensitivity, had been turned away as a child by Timpel himself and had gone on to become a very successful and wealthy businessman specializing in trade negotiations and intercessions. The two become fast friends, and during their discussions, Timpel expressed his frustrations with the limitations his Jedi lifestyle put on his travels and available resources. Kaskutal, still harboring admiration for the Jedi despite being turned away, offered to help and raised funds and resources from donors and investors to create an organization to help alleviate those problems. This organization came to be known as the Antarian Rangers, and it soon spread beyond Antar 4 into the rest of the galaxy. In the early years, the organization was small but ambitious. Kaskutal, the first true Antarian Ranger, used his minor Force sensitivity, Gotal senses, and business acumen to assist Timpel throughout the rest of his career. Upon Timpel's death, Kaskutal relegated himself to a more administrative role, seeing to it that the organization formed branches throughout the galaxy. Within 50 years, the Antarian Rangers had divisions in several well-populated systems, including Corellia, Brentaal, Ruan, and Coruscant. Over time, the expansion throughout the Core Worlds caused the organization to become Human-dominant, but other species did join the cause and sometimes rose into positions of leadership. The Jedi, being more loosely organized at the time, did not discourage the growth of the organization, as the Rangers proved their usefulness without drawing upon Jedi resources. Thanks to good investment decisions and some savvy business deals, Kaskutal ensured that the Rangers were financially stable, if not overly wealthy. As the Clone Wars approached and the Jedi Council took a more traditionalist stance in policy, the Rangers found fewer and fewer Jedi calling upon them for help. Some branches disbanded due to inactivity, while others used their combat training and entrepreneurial skills to become freelance mercenaries or sector defense forces. The organization, reduced to less than half its former size, found a brief revitalization with the onset of the Clone Wars. The Rangers found themselves suddenly in demand; the Jedi, outnumbered and unable to sufficiently defend the galaxy against the threat of the Separatists, once again called upon the Rangers for aid. As Jedi-Ranger pairings become more commonplace once more, the group saw a brief surge in membership before the rise of the Empire. As the Sith Lord Darth Vader and the Emperor eradicated the Jedi, the Antarian Rangers found themselves hunted in a similar fashion. With a bounty on the heads of the known Rangers and the threat of Inquisitors looming over them, the remaining branches of the Antarian Rangers went into hiding. One group of Antarian Rangers, led by a Feeorin named Solm, openly opposed the tyranny of the Empire, but for the most part the Rangers went into seclusion or disbanded entirely in order to avoid capture. The hidden enclave at Toprawa, home of Wraith Squadron member Tyria Sarkin, was eliminated by the Empire in a case that became typical of the eventual destruction of the Rangers. After the defeat of the Emperor and the establishment of the Jedi Praxeum, Luke Skywalker uncovered the history of the Antarian Rangers and sought the survivors out. Branches began to rebuild their ranks, although New Republic politicians showed concern for another independent, paramilitary group aside from the new Jedi. As the New Republic weathered the remains of the Empire, the reborn Emperor, warlords, and a variety of other external and internal threats, the number of paramilitary and mercenary forces grew steadily, including the Antarian Rangers. By the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong in 25 ABY, the organization was almost back to its pre-Clone Wars numbers. The new Antarian Rangers were essential to the protection of the Great River and the scouting of alternative routes to the ones established by Han Solo. Recruitment and Training The Antarian Rangers were a well respected (if not widely known) organization. Though many were wary of any independent organization that went about so heavily armed during the relative peace of the Old Republic, the Rangers suffered almost none of the negative publicity surrounding the Jedi and those associated with them. Those intimidated by the awesome powers of the Jedi sometimes sought out the Rangers as a less intimidating means of contributing to the cause. The Antarian Rangers were a natural place for those without the ability to touch the Force to turn to in fulfilling dreams of connecting with the Force. Additionally, in the days when rules on emotional attachment for the Jedi were lax, some Jedi and Antarian Rangers intermarried. As a result, Jedi occasionally had family, as well as ideological, ties to the Rangers. With the rise of the Empire, the Rangers were hunted as fervently as the Jedi by Lord Vader and the Inquisitors. Any discovered to be associated with the Antarian Rangers faced the same punishment as those connected with the Rebel Alliance or who harbored fugitive Jedi. Sympathizing with the Antarian Rangers could be a dangerous choice at times, and the organization required dedication and loyalty not often found in the galaxy. Ranger Life The life of an Antarian Ranger was not an easy one, and only the most dedicated and the most fit for the position thrived within the organization. Very few members of the Antarian Rangers actually earned the coveted rank of Ranger, as most became the support personnel for this elite group. The Rangers were trained to be the masters of any terrain; they had to be stealthy, observant, and capable if they were to assist the Jedi in the field. Upon reaching the rank of Ranger, members were typically assigned to a certain sector and, in some cases, to a particular Jedi who had requested their services. Not having a set uniform, Rangers were rewarded with a distinctive brown leather jacket reminiscent of those worn by off-duty members of sector defense forces. Their weapon of choice was a modified Greff-Timms AR-1 blaster rifle. Joining Very few members of the Antarian Rangers actually chose to join the organization without prompting from an existing member. The Rangers continually kept tabs on recruits turned down for Jedi training, especially those old enough to make the decision to join the organization. Any being that admired the Jedi Order and wished to uphold its ideals could join the Antarian Rangers, though the ones that got the furthest in the organization were those with physical and mental prowess to match their dedication. When first entering the group, all members were evaluated for their pertinent skills and potential contributions to the organization. While most applicants eventually went on to become support personnel -- technicians, transport pilots, communications experts -- some did enter the training required to become a full-fledged Ranger. Before becoming Rangers, trainees were called Explorers; at this rank, they accompanied Rangers on dangerous missions and got field training but were not yet given independent duties. Eventually they became full-fledged Rangers and earned all the rights and responsibilities fitting of the rank. There were no special requirements for joining the Antarian Rangers. Leaving The Antarian Rangers could ill afford losses, even at the height of the organization's membership. Never a large faction, the Rangers valued the services of each and every member, and went out of their way to keep members in the fold. Though retirement and discharges as a result of injury were both acceptable, simply leaving the organization without good reason was viewed as desertion. Despite this, the Antarian Rangers would not stop a member from leaving if he persisted on parting ways. Like any other paramilitary organization, the Rangers were concerned about the organization's secrets, and they took steps to eliminate the problem if an ex-member was revealing more than they should. Leaving the Rangers to become a member of the Jedi Order, rare a case as it may have been, was seen as an exceptional honor, and anyone who did so received a fond farewell from the other members. Any Antarian Ranger who committed overtly evil or cruel acts could be expelled from the group, much as the Jedi expelled those who dabbled with the dark side. A Ranger could also be court-martialed for improper conduct or violating the rules of the organization, receiving a dishonorable discharge from the group before being cast out. Ranks Explorer Lieutenant Ranger Ranger Captain Ranger General Sources *West End Games: SW RPG *Star Wars Databank *Wookieepedia *Wizards of the Coast: SW RPG *The Force.Net